Sound reproducer or recorder.



C. THDMA, Jn.' & W. THOMA.

SOUND REPRODUCBR 'OB RECORDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1908.

949,991 Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

WIT/ VESSESI 4 INI/E/VTHJ.

Char/es Thoma, 722, ana( 4 Walter v Thoma.

ATTORNEYS i u, i

.i i l vi.

CHARLES THOMA, JR., AND WALTER THOMA, 0E CARLSTADT, NEW JERSEY.

SOUND REPRODUCER 0R RECORDER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 22, 1910.

Application filed.` May 7, 1908. -SerialyNd 431,416.

lprovements in Sound Reproducers or Recorders, of which the following is a specification. v

The present invention-relates to sound reprodu-cers or recorders for phonographs, and

has for its ob]ect, 1n genera-l, to simplify structures of this-kind, to increase their efflciency, and to reduce the cost of manufacture.

One feature of the invention resides in a stylus supporting member having a socket whose mouth is provided with a-restricted portion, the stylus being seated in said socket and held in place by the restricted portion aforesaid'. This restricted portion may take the form of a plurality of prongs, or, as shown in the drawings, it may be a continuous flange. obtained by making the supporting member inthe form of a tube whose mouth is restricted and in which there is seated a follower. Bet.'.'een` the restricted portion.and the follower the stylus -is interposed. The stylus is held againstilongitudinal axial movement in the holder, so as to vibrate in unison with such holder. S0 far as certain features of the invention are concerned the stylus may be of any shape found useful; but preferably it is provided with a circular contact surface lconcentric with the center of the stylus. AThus stylus willpreferably be spherically shaped, and for disk machines the stylus will be in the form of a knife-edge disk. In the preferred embodiment of the -invention the stylus will be mounted for rotation around its own axis. This may be effected by any suitable means, but preferably by the socket construction of stylus supporting member above described. By makmg the stylus rotatable friction is greatly' reduced and admits, if desired, of the use of a cheap material as steel-in lace of precious stones. Furthermore, by t e employmentV of a rotatable stylus a less harsh and more perfect tone can be produced. A non-rotatable stylus has a scraping action as it travels over the record and reproduces not only the recorded sound waves but also minute recordta bly A tory Preferably the socket is,

for cylinder machines thel ed imperfections. These recorded imperfections 'are so minute that the stylus, if rotamounted, Will roll over themv without being sensibly affected by them. Moreover, by using a rotatable stylus, when recording, these minute imperfections will not be recorded, and hence will not be reproduced.

In the art, as practiced at the present time, the impulse transmitting means between the stylus supporting member and the diaphragm is secured to the diaphragm and exerts a positive pull and push in both directions on the latter. One feature of this invention resides in having the impulse transmitting means disconnected from the diaphragm, and adapted to have an intermittent vibracontact with the said diaphragm. 'By this means the'impulse transmitting means will flex the diaphragm in one direction only, the diaphragm returning by its own weight or flexibility. `This has the effect of Y producing a more rounded and mellow tone.

In the preferred embodiment, the stylus supporting member is seated in a guide in which it reciproca-tes -in a rectilinear path, and has vibratory contact with the impulse transmitting means. The impulse transmitting means, 1n the present instance, is in the .form of a pivoted lever disconnected bothA from the stylus supporting member and diaphragm." y

The general arrangement of the parts constitutes in itself `a new and useful invention. In this general arrangement, the diaphragm,- impulse transmitting means, and stylus supporting member are all mounted ona frame supported on a universal joint in the casing so as to always occupy i sitionl when the frame shifts by reason of discrepancies between the grooves of the record and the threads of the feed screw.

In connection with this construction is einployed a centering device which always .tends to center the frame when in its lowermost position.' y

Other features will appear as the specification proceeds.

In the accompanying drawings the invention is embodied in a concrete and preferred form, but changes of construction may be made without departing from the legitimate and intended'scope of the invention. Furthermore the several features of the invention may be used, one 4independently 'ofthe other or others.

the same relative poi In the said drawings Figure 1 is a vertical sectional view on the line 1-1 of Fig. 2, showing a sound reproducer or recorder, embodying the invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of Fig. l looking in the direction of the arrow 2 in Fig. 1. Figs. 3, 4, 5, and 6 show various forms of stylus supporting members and stylus. Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one form of stylus'. Fig. 8 is a detail of the centering device. I

Similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the several views.

1 indicates a casing of any suitable construction in which is Vmounted the supporting frame 2 by means of the universal joint 3. Opposite to this joint the frame is provided with an inverted V -shaped slot 4 adapted to receive a member 5 carried by the casing. Whenever the sound reproducer is lowered into engagement with the record, the member will center the supporting frame.

6 indicates the usual diaphragm of copper or other material mounted in the supporting frame. Underneath this diaphragm there is pivoted, on the frame 2, the impulse transmitting lever 7 whose free end is adapted to have an intermittent vibratory contact with the diaphragm.

8 indicates a guide in the frame 2 in which is seated the stylus supporting member 9. This stylus supporting member has a reciprocating motion,in a rectilinear path and has intermittent lvibratory contact with the impulse transmitting lever. The stylus supporting member is preferably constructed as shown in Fig. 3, in which it is in the form of a tubey having a restricted mouth 10 on which rests the rotatable stylus 11 here shown in the form of a sphere. Seated in the tube is a follower l2 which is adjustable, and between this follower 12 and the stylus may be interposed an antifriction ball 14. The stylus is thus mounted in a socket whose restricted mouth holds it in place.

-In Fig. 4 the stylus is in the form of a knife-edgediskl rotatably supported, and in this instance provided with two antif-ric tion balls 14.

In Fig. 5 the stylus is shown' in the form 'of a sphere but is non-rotatable and is` held in asolid stylus supporting member l6 having a socket 17 whose mouth is restricted by the flange 18.

In Fig. 6 is shown the same` stylus as that.

in Fig. 4. In this instance, however, it is non-rotatably supported in the socket of the stylus supporting member.

What is claimed is 1. A stylus supporting member consisting of a tube whose -mouth is provided with a restricted portion, a stylus seated in said tube and resting against the restricted portion aforesaid, and a follower seated in said tube for holding the stylus against the re- :tricted portion aforesaid and serving to prevent longitudinal movement of the stylus l inthe tubular supporting member.

2. A stylus supporting member having al socket whose mouth is provided with a restricted portion, and a stylus mounted for rotation around its own -axis seated in said socket and held in place by the restricted portion aforesaid the stylus and supporting member being arranged to vibrate in unison.

8. A stylus supporting member having a socket whose mouth is provided with a reheld in place by the restricted portion aforesaid, the -stylus being held against vibration in said socket.

5. A stylus supporting Amember having a socket whose mouth is provided with a restricted portion, and a spherically shapedv stylus seated in said socket and held in place by the restricted portionA aforesaid and means holding the stylus against longitudinal movement in the socket.

6. A stylus supporting member having a socket whose mouth is provided with a restricted portion, and a stylus having a circular contact surface concentric4 with the center of the stylus mounted for rotation around its own axis in said socketa-nd held.

in place by the restricted portion aforesaid the stylus being held against longitudinal axial movement in the socket member.

7. A stylus supporting member having a socket whose mouth is provided with a re-' stricted portion, and a spherically shaped stylus mounted for rotation around its own axis in said socket and held in place by the restricted portion aforesaid and means to prevent longitudinal movement of the stylus in the supporting member.

8. A stylus' supporting member consisting of a tubefwhose mouth is provided with a restricted portion, a stylus mounted for rotation around its own axis seated in said tube and resting 'against the restricted ortion aforesaid, and a'follower seated in said tube for holding the stylus against the restricted portion aforesaid to prevent longitudinal movement ofthe stylus.

,9. A stylus supporting member consisting of' av tube Whose mouth is provided with a restricted portion, a stylus having a circular contact surface concentric with the center of the stylus seated in said tube and resting against the restricted portion aforesaid, and

a follower seated in said tube for holding' the stylus against the ,restricted portion aforesaid.

10. A stylus supporting member consist- Aing of a. tube whose mouth is provided with against the restricted portion aforesaid, and

a follower seated in said tube for holding the stylus against the restricted portion aforesaid.

12. A stylus supporting member consisting of a tube whose mouth is provided with a restricted portion, a spherically shaped stylus mounted for rotation in said tube and resting against the restricted portion aforesaid, and a ,follower seated in said tube' for holding the stylus against the restricted portion aforesaid.

13. In a sound reproducer or recorder, a diaphragm, a stylus supporting member having a rectilinear reciprocating motion, and impiilse transmitting means between the stylus supporting member and diaphragm.,

y 14. In a sound reproducer or recorder, a casing asupporting frame mounted in said casing so as to have play both in a vertical and horizontal direction, a diaphragm, a stylus supporting member, and an impulse transmitting means, all mounted on the supporting frame.

15. 1n a sound reproducer or recorder, a diaphragm, y a stylus supporting member having a rectilinear reciprocating motion, and an im ulse transmitting' lever pivotally supported interposed between the diaphragm and stylus supporting member.

16. In a soundreproducer or recorder, la

diaphragm, a stylus supporting member havin a rectilinear reciprocating motion, and impulse transmitting means disconnected'from the diaphragm and adaptedvto have an intermittent vibratory contact with the diaphragm.

'axial 'movement therein.

17. In a sound reproducer-or recorder, a

casing, a supporting frame mounted in said casing so as to have play both in a vertical and horizontal direction, a stylus supporting member adapted to reciprocate in a guide on the frame, a diaphragm carried by said frame, and an impulse lever, pivotally mounted in the frame above the stylus supporting member, whose free end engages the diaphragm.

18. In a sound reproducer or recorder, a casing, a supporting frame, pivotally supported in the casing so as to have a universal movement, and carrying a diaphragm, impulse transmitting means and a stylus supporting member, and means for centering the supporting frame whenjn its lowermost position.

19. In a sound reproducer or recorder, a diaphragm, a stylus supporting member, an impulse transmitting lever interposed between the diaphragm and stylus supporting member, and a freely rotatable stylus carried by the stylus supporting member.

20. A supporting member, `a spherical 4stylus mounted for rotation in all directions in said member but held against` longitudinal 21. In a sound reproducer or recorder, a

stylus, and a socket member supporting the stylus, extending below the aXis thereof and having confining means for the stylus, the stylus being held against longitudinal movement in the socket member. l

22. In a sound reproducer or recorder, a diaphragm, a stylus supporting member, an impulse transmitting means disconnected from both the stylus supporting member and diaphragm and adapted to have intermittent vibratory contact with both, a cas-v ing, and a supporting frame mounted on a universal joint in the casing and carrying the diaphragm, stylus supportingmember and impulse transmitting means.

Signed at` Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York this 6th day of May, A. D. 1908.

CHARLES THoMA, JR. WALTER THoMA.

l/Vitnesses:

FRED. I-I. MCGAHm, G. W. A. MURRAY. 

